Top 25 Tracker: March 29

The Cavaliers won their third series against a ranked team this season, taking two of three against Clemson. Fr. DH Stephen Bruno hit a two-run homer in the fifth and a walk-off RBI single in the ninth inning Friday, and Jr. RHP Tyler Wilson (3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K) picked up the win in relief of So. LHP Danny Hultzen (6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K). Jr. RHP Robert Morey (6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 7 K) was solid in a no-decision in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, but Clemson broke a 2-2 tie with six runs over the final three frames. Fr. 1B Kenny Swab and Sr. C Franco Valdes hit solo homers in the finale in support of Jr. RHP Cody Winiarski (6 IP, 6 H, 1 ER).

Georgia Tech went on the road and swept North Carolina for the first time since 2000. Jr. C Cole Leonida broke a 1-1 tie with a bases-loaded walk in the seventh Friday, helping Jr. RHP Deck McGuire (7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 10 K) improve to 4-1, 1.17 with a 49-11 K-BB mark in 46 IP. Leonida and So. 3B Matt Skole combined for five hits and seven RBIs in Saturday’s win. Jr. SS Derek Dietrich (5-for-7, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) led an 18-hit attack Sunday, as the Yellow Jackets rallied from an 8-1 deficit with seven runs over the final three innings, then won it with three in the 10th.

UCLA swept four games last week against Big West opponents to remain one of the nation’s two unbeaten teams and extend its school-record winning streak to 20 games. Sr. DH Blair Dunlap (11-for-19, 4 2B) and So. 2B Tyler Rahmatulla (8-for-15, 5 2B, 4 RBI) led the UCLA offense on the week. So. RHP Gerrit Cole (5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 7 BB, 7 K) did not have his best control but still improved to 6-0 Thursday. So. RHP Trevor Bauer (8 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 9 K) earned his fifth win of the year Friday, as UCLA came from behind to take the lead on Rahmatulla’s two-run double in the eighth. Jr. LHP Rob Rasmussen (5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 9 K) picked up his third win Sunday.

The Gators lost back-to-back games for the first time this season in a series loss at Mississippi. So. LHP Alex Panteliodis (7.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 8 K) was a hard-luck loser Friday. The Rebels jumped on Fr. RHP Hudson Randall (1 IP, 6 H, 5 ER) on Saturday, then piled on against the Florida bullpen. Fr. 3B Austin Maddox, playing his fourth straight game at the hot corner, went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs Sunday in support of Fr. LHP Brian Johnson (5.1 IP, 4 R, 1 R, 0 ER).

The Cardinals won their Big East-opening series against their most dangerous challenger for the conference title, Connecticut. Louisville scored a run in the second Friday, and that was all the support necessary for Jr. RHP Thomas Royse (7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 11 K) and Jr. RHP Neil Holland (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R). The Cardinals erased a 2-1 deficit on Sr. 1B Andrew Clark’s three-run double in the seventh in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Clark had missed 13 games with a rib injury before returning to the lineup Friday. So. RHP Tony Zych (5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 10 K) was out-pitched by UConn flame-thrower Matt Barnes (8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K) in the finale.

Arkansas came from behind in three straight games to sweep Alabama for the first time since 2006. The Razorbacks erased a 5-0 deficit with five runs in the fifth Friday, then came back from an 8-5 hole with four in the eighth, keyed by So. RHP Zack Cox’s three-run double. Cox had three hits and six RBIs in that one. Arkansas tied Saturday’s game with three in the seventh, then won it on Sr. C Tom Hauskey’s pinch-hit, walk-off single in the ninth. Preseason All-Americans Cox, Jr. 1B Andy Wilkins and Jr. OF Brett Eibner all homered Sunday, as Arkansas stormed back from an early 4-0 hole.

South Carolina won its second straight SEC series and ran its winning streak to 13 games before dropping Sunday’s finale against Auburn. So. OF Adam Matthews (3-for-3, 3 RBI, 2B, HR) led a 12-hit attack Friday in support of Sr. RHP Blake Cooper (7 IP, 8 H, 4 ER). Jr. RHP Sam Dyson (7 IP, 10 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K) improved to 2-0 Saturday, though the Gamecocks were out-hit 11-5. Fr. LHP Tyler Webb (1 IP, 4 H, 4 R) was chased early Sunday. Struggling Sr. 1B Nick Ebert, who sat out four straight conference games while working on his swing, returned to the lineup Sunday and went 1-for-3.

The Horned Frogs split a pair of slugfests in howling winds that destroyed pitching in Colorado Springs. The second game of Sunday’s doubleheader was suspended until May 15, with Air Force leading 16-15 in the seventh inning. Fr. LHP Matt Purke (2.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) was the first of many TCU pitchers to be hit hard on the weekend, taking a no-decision Friday. Air Force’s Alex Truesdale (7 IP, 14 H, 10 ER) somehow earned the win. So. RHP Kyle Winkler (7 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 6 K) pitched very well considering the conditions in the first game of Sunday’s twin bill, and Sr. C Bryan Holaday (4-for-5, 4 R, 3 RBI) hit one of TCU’s four homers.

The Chanticleers dropped two of three against San Diego. Jr. LHP Cody Wheeler (6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 6 K) improved to 4-0 Friday, as Coastal took advantage of three USD errors in a seven-run fifth. So. RHP Anthony Meo, who threw five scoreless innings and allowed just one hit in Tuesday’s win, came back Sunday and pitched very well in defeat (8.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6K), but the Toreros broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the ninth.

Miami won its second straight conference series on the road, taking two of three at N.C. State. Jr. C Yasmani Grandal (9-for-14, HR, 6 RBI) had a huge weekend, punctuated by his first career triple as part of a four-hit, five-RBI day Saturday. Jr. LHP Chris Hernandez (5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER) improved to 3-2 in Friday’s win. Sr. RHP Jason Santana (5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 7 K) was solid in a no-decision Saturday, but the Wolfpack overcame a 6-1 deficit with five runs in the ninth against closer David Gutierrez, then won it with a run in the 11th. Sr. LHP Eric Erickson (5.2 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K) and two relievers blanked the Wolfpack on Sunday as Miami turned four double plays.

Clemson capped a 1-4 week with a series loss at No. 1 Virginia. Jr. LHP Casey Harman (7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER) was solid in a no-decision Friday, but Virginia broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the ninth. The Tigers broke a 2-2 tie with six runs over the final three innings in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, making a winner out of So. LHP Will Lamb (7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER). So. RHP Scott Weismann (7 IP, 6 H, 3 ER) was solid in defeat in the finale.

The Sooners took two out of three in a conference road series at Nebraska. Oklahoma cruised to a win Friday behind Jr. RHP Zach Neal (7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K). Jr. RHP Bobby Shore (5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER) earned his fourth win Saturday, and Sr. RHP Jeremy Erben worked three scoreless innings of relief, extending his scoreless streak to 22 innings. OU was shut out on three hits Sunday by Nebraska Fr. LHP Tom Lemke, and the game was shortened to seven innings by the run rule.

Vanderbilt swept Kentucky, winning a series against the Wildcats for the first time since 2007. Sr. C Andrew Giobbi (10-for-22) led the Vandy offense in the five-game week, capped by a four-hit game in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. So. RHP Sonny Gray (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 6 K) improved to 4-2 on Friday. The Commodores scored twice in the first in the opener of Saturday’s twin bill, and Jr. RHP Taylor Hill (4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER) and three relievers made it stand up. Vandy came from behind in the finale and won on So. 2B Riley Reynolds’ walk-off walk, capping a three-run ninth.

The Beavers won Friday’s opener against Long Beach State, then were swept in Saturday’s doubleheader. Jr. 3B/1B Stefen Romero (4-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) led an 18-hit assault Friday, as the Beavers broke open a 3-1 game with nine runs in the fifth. The OSU bats went quiet the next two games. Jr. LHP Tanner Robles (6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER) was solid in defeat in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, but Jr. RHP Tyler Waldron (0.2 IP, 3 H, 5 ER, 2 BB) was walloped.

The young Wildcats, with 17 freshmen on the roster and just two seniors, are off to the best start in Andy Lopez’s tenure at Arizona, though they have yet to leave Tucson. Arizona swept two midweek games against New Mexico and took two of three in its first conference series against Oregon. The Wildcats jumped out to a 6-1 lead through two innings Friday, helping Fr. RHP Kurt Heyer (6 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) improve to 4-0. So. OF Steve Selsky (4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR) led a second-straight 14-hit assault Saturday in support of So. LHP Bryce Bandilla (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 6 K). Selsky had another homer and three RBIs in Sunday’s loss, as the Ducks overcame an 8-3 deficit with six runs over the final four innings, including four in the ninth, capped by Jack Marder’s three-run homer off Fr. RHP Nick Cunningham.

Irvine lost a three-game weekend series for the first time since the 2008 super regional against Louisiana State, and lost a regular-season weekend series for the first time since April of 2008—a streak of 21 straight series victories. Sr. LHP Daniel Bibona (6.1 IP, 9 H, 5 ER) and Sr. RHP Christian Bergman (3.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER) struggled in losses Friday and Saturday. Irvine’s offense woke up and produced 10 runs Sunday behind Sr. RHP Eric Pettis (8 IP, 7 H, 3 ER).

Alabama squandered early leads in three straight games and was swept by Arkansas for the first time since 2006. The Crimson Tide blew leads of 5-0 and 8-5 Friday, as Arkansas scored four times in the eighth to steal the victory. Jr. RHP Jimmy Nelson (6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER) was solid in a no-decision Saturday, but Arkansas came back from a 3-0 hole with three in the seventh and won it with a run in the ninth. Alabama scored four in the top of the first Sunday but was outscored 10-1 the rest of the way.

Rice lost a road series at Memphis, falling to 2-5 on its current seven-game road trip. Rice mustered just two runs on 10 hits in Friday’s loss. The Owls coughed up a 7-5 lead in the ninth in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, as Memphis scored three times against Fr. RHP Tyler Duffey. The Rice bats exploded for 23 hits in the finale, led by Fr. 2B Michael Ratterree (5-for-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B).